The present invention relates generally to a damper for use in the steering linkage of a motor vehicle, and more particularly, to a steering attenuator positioned in series between the steering pitman arm and the road wheels such that the direct path between the road wheels and the frame is attenuated both for noise and harshness. The isolated link further allows the steering response to be tuned.
Suspension links are typically isolated in bushings or other input dampening materials. The steering linkage, however, does not have any series dampening of input forces between the road wheels and the steering wheel, thus allowing undamped force signals to transmit through the tie rod ball joints directly through the pitman arm. From there, the undamped force signals pass through the steering gear and into the frame.
Conventional applications utilize an external damper between the frame and the drag link or tie rod. This series damper mitigates, but does not eliminate the direct path between the road wheels and the frame. This condition disadvantageously results in ride harshness due to the unfiltered force path between the road wheels and the frame, direct noise transmission, and an unmatched frequency response between steering inputs and suspension action.
Accordingly, there remains a need for better isolating the steering linkage from impact forces.